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Best Famous War Horse Poems

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Written by Alfred Lord Tennyson | Create an image from this poem

The Lady of Shalott

ON either side the river lie

Long fields of barley and of rye, 
That clothe the wold and meet the sky; 
And thro' the field the road runs by 
To many-tower'd Camelot; 5 
And up and down the people go, 
Gazing where the lilies blow 
Round an island there below, 
The island of Shalott. 

Willows whiten, aspens quiver, 10 
Little breezes dusk and shiver 
Thro' the wave that runs for ever 
By the island in the river 
Flowing down to Camelot. 
Four gray walls, and four gray towers, 15 
Overlook a space of flowers, 
And the silent isle imbowers 
The Lady of Shalott. 

By the margin, willow-veil'd, 
Slide the heavy barges trail'd 20 
By slow horses; and unhail'd 
The shallop flitteth silken-sail'd 
Skimming down to Camelot: 
But who hath seen her wave her hand? 
Or at the casement seen her stand? 25 
Or is she known in all the land, 
The Lady of Shalott? 

Only reapers, reaping early 
In among the bearded barley, 
Hear a song that echoes cheerly 30 
From the river winding clearly, 
Down to tower'd Camelot: 
And by the moon the reaper weary, 
Piling sheaves in uplands airy, 
Listening, whispers ''Tis the fairy 35 
Lady of Shalott.' 

PART II
There she weaves by night and day

A magic web with colours gay. 
She has heard a whisper say, 
A curse is on her if she stay 40 
To look down to Camelot. 
She knows not what the curse may be, 
And so she weaveth steadily, 
And little other care hath she, 
The Lady of Shalott. 45 

And moving thro' a mirror clear 
That hangs before her all the year, 
Shadows of the world appear. 
There she sees the highway near 
Winding down to Camelot: 50 
There the river eddy whirls, 
And there the surly village-churls, 
And the red cloaks of market girls, 
Pass onward from Shalott. 

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad, 55 
An abbot on an ambling pad, 
Sometimes a curly shepherd-lad, 
Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad, 
Goes by to tower'd Camelot; 
And sometimes thro' the mirror blue 60 
The knights come riding two and two: 
She hath no loyal knight and true, 
The Lady of Shalott. 

But in her web she still delights 
To weave the mirror's magic sights, 65 
For often thro' the silent nights 
A funeral, with plumes and lights, 
And music, went to Camelot: 
Or when the moon was overhead, 
Came two young lovers lately wed; 70 
'I am half sick of shadows,' said 
The Lady of Shalott. 

PART III
A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,

He rode between the barley-sheaves, 
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves, 75 
And flamed upon the brazen greaves 
Of bold Sir Lancelot. 
A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd 
To a lady in his shield, 
That sparkled on the yellow field, 80 
Beside remote Shalott. 

The gemmy bridle glitter'd free, 
Like to some branch of stars we see 
Hung in the golden Galaxy. 
The bridle bells rang merrily 85 
As he rode down to Camelot: 
And from his blazon'd baldric slung 
A mighty silver bugle hung, 
And as he rode his armour rung, 
Beside remote Shalott. 90 

All in the blue unclouded weather 
Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather, 
The helmet and the helmet-feather 
Burn'd like one burning flame together, 
As he rode down to Camelot. 95 
As often thro' the purple night, 
Below the starry clusters bright, 
Some bearded meteor, trailing light, 
Moves over still Shalott. 

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd; 100 
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode; 
From underneath his helmet flow'd 
His coal-black curls as on he rode, 
As he rode down to Camelot. 
From the bank and from the river 105 
He flash'd into the crystal mirror, 
'Tirra lirra,' by the river 
Sang Sir Lancelot. 

She left the web, she left the loom, 
She made three paces thro' the room, 110 
She saw the water-lily bloom, 
She saw the helmet and the plume, 
She look'd down to Camelot. 
Out flew the web and floated wide; 
The mirror crack'd from side to side; 115 
'The curse is come upon me!' cried 
The Lady of Shalott. 

PART IV
In the stormy east-wind straining,

The pale yellow woods were waning, 
The broad stream in his banks complaining, 120 
Heavily the low sky raining 
Over tower'd Camelot; 

Down she came and found a boat 
Beneath a willow left afloat, 
And round about the prow she wrote 125 
The Lady of Shalott. 

And down the river's dim expanse¡ª 
Like some bold seer in a trance, 
Seeing all his own mischance¡ª 
With a glassy countenance 130 
Did she look to Camelot. 
And at the closing of the day 
She loosed the chain, and down she lay; 
The broad stream bore her far away, 
The Lady of Shalott. 135 

Lying, robed in snowy white 
That loosely flew to left and right¡ª 
The leaves upon her falling light¡ª 
Thro' the noises of the night 
She floated down to Camelot: 140 
And as the boat-head wound along 
The willowy hills and fields among, 
They heard her singing her last song, 
The Lady of Shalott. 

Heard a carol, mournful, holy, 145 
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly, 
Till her blood was frozen slowly, 
And her eyes were darken'd wholly, 
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot; 
For ere she reach'd upon the tide 150 
The first house by the water-side, 
Singing in her song she died, 
The Lady of Shalott. 

Under tower and balcony, 
By garden-wall and gallery, 155 
A gleaming shape she floated by, 
Dead-pale between the houses high, 
Silent into Camelot. 
Out upon the wharfs they came, 
Knight and burgher, lord and dame, 160 
And round the prow they read her name, 
The Lady of Shalott. 

Who is this? and what is here? 
And in the lighted palace near 
Died the sound of royal cheer; 165 
And they cross'd themselves for fear, 
All the knights at Camelot: 
But Lancelot mused a little space; 
He said, 'She has a lovely face; 
God in His mercy lend her grace, 170 
The Lady of Shalott.' 


Written by Oscar Wilde | Create an image from this poem

Ballade De Marguerite (Normande)

 I am weary of lying within the chase
When the knights are meeting in market-place.

Nay, go not thou to the red-roofed town
Lest the hoofs of the war-horse tread thee down.

But I would not go where the Squires ride,
I would only walk by my Lady's side.

Alack! and alack! thou art overbold,
A Forester's son may not eat off gold.

Will she love me the less that my Father is seen
Each Martinmas day in a doublet green?

Perchance she is sewing at tapestrie,
Spindle and loom are not meet for thee.

Ah, if she is working the arras bright
I might ravel the threads by the fire-light.

Perchance she is hunting of the deer,
How could you follow o'er hill and mere?

Ah, if she is riding with the court,
I might run beside her and wind the morte.

Perchance she is kneeling in St. Denys,
(On her soul may our Lady have gramercy!)

Ah, if she is praying in lone chapelle,
I might swing the censer and ring the bell.

Come in, my son, for you look sae pale,
The father shall fill thee a stoup of ale.

But who are these knights in bright array?
Is it a pageant the rich folks play?

'T is the King of England from over sea,
Who has come unto visit our fair countrie.

But why does the curfew toll sae low?
And why do the mourners walk a-row?

O 't is Hugh of Amiens my sister's son
Who is lying stark, for his day is done.

Nay, nay, for I see white lilies clear,
It is no strong man who lies on the bier.

O 't is old Dame Jeannette that kept the hall,
I knew she would die at the autumn fall.

Dame Jeannette had not that gold-brown hair,
Old Jeannette was not a maiden fair.

O 't is none of our kith and none of our kin,
(Her soul may our Lady assoil from sin!)

But I hear the boy's voice chaunting sweet,
'Elle est morte, la Marguerite.'

Come in, my son, and lie on the bed,
And let the dead folk bury their dead.

O mother, you know I loved her true:
O mother, hath one grave room for two?
Written by Andrew Barton Paterson | Create an image from this poem

The Incantation

 Scene: Federal Political Arena 
A darkened cave. In the middle, a cauldron, boiling. 
Enter the three witches. 
1ST WITCH: Thrice hath the Federal Jackass brayed. 

2ND WITCH: Once the Bruce-Smith War-horse neighed. 

3RD WITCH: So Georgie comes, 'tis time, 'tis time, 
Around the cauldron to chant our rhyme. 

1ST WITCH: In the cauldron boil and bake 
Fillet of a tariff snake, 
Home-made flannels -- mostly cotton, 
Apples full of moths, and rotten, 
Lamb that perished in the drought, 
Starving stock from "furthest out", 
Drops of sweat from cultivators, 
Sweating to feed legislators. 
Grime from a white stoker's nob, 
Toiling at a ******'s job. 
Thus the great Australian Nation, 
Seeks political salvation. 

ALL: Double, double, toil and trouble, 
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. 

2ND WITCH: Heel-taps from the threepenny bars, 
Ash from Socialist cigars. 
Leathern tongue of boozer curst 
With the great Australian thirst, 
Two-up gambler keeping dark, 
Loafer sleeping in the park -- 
Drop them in to prove the sequel, 
All men are born free and equal. 

ALL: Double, double, toil and trouble, 
Fire burn, and cauldron bubble. 

3RD WITCH:Lung of Labour agitator, 
Gall of Isaacs turning traitor; 
Spleen that Kingston has revealed, 
Sawdust stuffing out of Neild; 
Mix them up, and then combine 
With duplicity of Lyne, 
Alfred Deakin's gift of gab, 
Mix the gruel thick and slab. 

ALL: Double, double, toil and trouble, 
Heav'n help Australia in her trouble. 

HECATE: Oh, well done, I commend your pains, 
And everyone shall share i' the gains, 
And now about the cauldron sing, 
Enchanting all that you put in. 
Round about the cauldron go, 
In the People's rights we'll throw, 
Cool it with an Employer's blood, 
Then the charm stands firm and good, 
And thus with chaos in possession, 
Ring in the coming Fed'ral Session.
Written by Rudyard Kipling | Create an image from this poem

The Press

 "The Village That Voted the Earth Was Flat"-- A Diversity of Creatures
The Soldier may forget his Sword,
 The Sailorman the Sea,
The Mason may forget the Word
 And the Priest his Litany:
The Maid may forget both jewel and gem,
 And the Bride her wedding-dress--
But the Jew shall forget Jerusalem
 Ere we forget the Press!

Who once hath stood through the loaded hour
 Ere, roaring like the gale,
The Harrild and the Hoe devour
 Their league-long paper-bale,
And has lit his pipe in the morning calm
 That follows the midnight stress--
He hath sold his heart to the old Black Art
 We call the daily Press.

Who once hath dealt in the widest game
 That all of a man can play,
No later love, no larger fame
 Will lure him long away.
As the war-horse snuffeth the battle afar,
 The entered Soul, no less,
He saith: "Ha! Ha!" where the trumpets are
 And the thunders of the Press!

Canst thou number the days that we fulfill,
 Or the Times that we bring forth?
Canst thou send the lightnings to do thy will,
 And cause them reign on earth?
Hast thou given a peacock goodly wings,
 To please his foolishness?
Sit down at the heart of men and things,
 Companion of the Press!

The Pope may launch his Interdict,
 The Union its decree,
But the bubble is blown and the bubble is pricked
 By Us and such as We.
Remember the battle and stand aside
 While Thrones and Powers confess
That King over all the children of pride
 Is the Press--the Press--the Press!
Written by William Topaz McGonagall | Create an image from this poem

The Queens Jubilee Celebrations

 'Twas in the year of 1897, and on the 22nd of June,
Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee in London caused a great boom;
Because high and low came from afar to see,
The grand celebrations at Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee. 

People were there from almost every foreign land,
Which made the scene really imposing and grand;
Especially the Queen's carriage, drawn by eight coloured bays,
And when the spectators saw it joyous shouts they did raise. 

Oh! if was a most gorgeous sight to be seen,
Numerous foreign magnatss were there for to see the queen;
And to the vast multitude there of women and men,
Her Majesty for two hours showed herself to them. 

The head of the procession looked very grand -
A party of the Horse Guards with their gold-belaced band;
Which also headed the procession of the Colonial States,
While slowly they rode on until opposite the Palace gates. 

Then the sound of the National Anthem was heard quite clear,
And the sound the hearts of the mighty crowd it did cheer;
As they heard the loyal hymning on the morning air,
The scene was most beautiful and surpassing fair. 

On the house tops thousands of people were to be seen,
All in eager expectation of seeing the queen;
And all of them seemed to be happy and gay,
Which enhanced the scene during the day. 

And when Field Marshal Roberts in the procession passed by,
The cheers from thousands of people arose very high;
And to see him on his war horse was inspiring to see,
Because he rode his charger most splendidly. 

The Natal mounted troops were loudly cheered, they looked so grand,
And also the London Irish Emerald Isle Band;
Oh if was a most magnificent sight to see.
The Malta Militia and Artillery,
And the Trinidad Artillery, and also bodies of infantry,
And, as the crowd gazed thereon, it filled their hearts with glee. 

Her Majesty looked well considering her years,
And from the vast crowd burst forth joyous cheers;
And Her Majesty bowed to the shouts of acclamation,
And smiled upon the crowd with a loving look of admiration. 

His Excellency Chan Yin Hun in his carriage wan a great attraction,
And his Oriental garb seemed to give the people great satisfaction;
While the two little Battenberg's carriage, as it drove along,
Received from the people cheering loud and long. 

And when the Dragoon Guards and the Huasars filed past at the walk,
Then loudly in their praise the people did talk;
And the cavalry took forty minutes to trot past,
While the spectators in silent wonder stood aghast. 

Her Majesty the Empress Frederick a great sensation made,
She was one of the chief attractions in the whole cavalcade;
And in her carriage was the Princess Louise, the Marchioness of Lorne,
In a beautiful white dress, which did per person adorn. 

The scene in Piccadilly caused a great sensation,
The grand decorations there were the theme of admiration;
And the people in St. James Street were taken by surprise,
Because the lovely decorations dazzled their eyes 

The 42nd Highlanders looked very fine,
When they appeared and took up a position on the line;
And the magnificent decorations in the Strand,
As far east as the Griffin wets attractive and grand. 

And the grandstand from Buckingham Palace to Temple Bar,
Was crowded with eager eyes from afar,
Looking on the floral decorations and flags unfurled,
Which has been the grandest spectacle ever seen in the world. 

The corner building of St. James Street side was lovely to view,
Ornamented with pink and white bunting and a screen of blue;
And to the eye, the inscription thereon most beautiful seems:
"Thou art alone the Queen of earthly Queens." 

The welcome given to Commander-in-Chief Lord Wolseley was very flattering,
The people cheered him until the streets did ring;
And the foreign princes were watched with rivetted admiration,
And caused among the sight-seers great consternation, 

And private householders seemed to vie with each other,
In the lavishness of their decorations, and considered it no bother;
And never before in the memory of man,
Has there been a national celebration so grand. 

And in conclusion, I most earnestly do pray,
May God protect Her Majesty for many a day;
My blessing on her noble form and on her lofty head,
And may she wear a crown of glory hereafter when dead.


Written by Du Fu | Create an image from this poem

On Yueyang Tower

Former hear Dongting water Now climb Yueyang tower Wu Chu east south separate Heaven earth day night float Family friend without one word Old sick have single boat War horse pass mountain north Lean rail tears flow
Of old I heard of the waters of Dongting lake, Now I've climbed to the top of Yueyang tower. Here Wu and Chu are split to east and south, Here heaven and earth are floating day and night. From family and friends comes not a single word, Old and sick, I have one solitary boat. War horses are riding north of the mountain pass, I lean on the railing as tears flow down.
Written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow | Create an image from this poem

Burial of the Minnisink

 On sunny slope and beechen swell,
The shadowed light of evening fell;
And, where the maple's leaf was brown,
With soft and silent lapse came down,
The glory, that the wood receives,
At sunset, in its golden leaves.

Far upward in the mellow light
Rose the blue hills. One cloud of white,
Around a far uplifted cone,
In the warm blush of evening shone;
An image of the silver lakes,
By which the Indian's soul awakes.

But soon a funeral hymn was heard
Where the soft breath of evening stirred
The tall, gray forest; and a band
Of stern in heart, and strong in hand,
Came winding down beside the wave,
To lay the red chief in his grave.

They sang, that by his native bowers
He stood, in the last moon of flowers,
And thirty snows had not yet shed
Their glory on the warrior's head;
But, as the summer fruit decays,
So died he in those naked days.

A dark cloak of the roebuck's skin
Covered the warrior, and within
Its heavy folds the weapons, made
For the hard toils of war, were laid;
The cuirass, woven of plaited reeds,
And the broad belt of shells and beads.

Before, a dark-haired virgin train
Chanted the death dirge of the slain;
Behind, the long procession came
Of hoary men and chiefs of fame,
With heavy hearts, and eyes of grief,
Leading the war-horse of their chief.

Stripped of his proud and martial dress,
Uncurbed, unreined, and riderless,
With darting eye, and nostril spread,
And heavy and impatient tread,
He came; and oft that eye so proud
Asked for his rider in the crowd.

They buried the dark chief; they freed
Beside the grave his battle steed;
And swift an arrow cleaved its way
To his stern heart! One piercing neigh
Arose, and, on the dead man's plain,
The rider grasps his steed again.
Written by Victor Hugo | Create an image from this poem

Milton's Appeal To Cromwell

 ("Non! je n'y puis tenir.") 
 
 {CROMWELL, Act III. sc. iv.} 


 Stay! I no longer can contain myself, 
 But cry you: Look on John, who bares his mind 
 To Oliver—to Cromwell, Milton speaks! 
 Despite a kindling eye and marvel deep 
 A voice is lifted up without your leave; 
 For I was never placed at council board 
 To speak my promptings. When awed strangers come 
 Who've seen Fox-Mazarin wince at the stings 
 In my epistles—and bring admiring votes 
 Of learned colleges, they strain to see 
 My figure in the glare—the usher utters, 
 "Behold and hearken! that's my Lord Protector's 
 Cousin—that, his son-in-law—that next"—who cares! 
 Some perfumed puppet! "Milton?" "He in black— 
 Yon silent scribe who trims their eloquence!" 
 Still 'chronicling small-beer,'—such is my duty! 
 Yea, one whose thunder roared through martyr bones 
 Till Pope and Louis Grand quaked on their thrones, 
 And echoed "Vengeance for the Vaudois," where 
 The Sultan slumbers sick with scent of roses. 
 He is but the mute in this seraglio— 
 "Pure" Cromwell's Council! 
 But to be dumb and blind is overmuch! 
 Impatient Issachar kicks at the load! 
 Yet diadems are burdens painfuller, 
 And I would spare thee that sore imposition. 
 Dear brother Noll, I plead against thyself! 
 Thou aim'st to be a king; and, in thine heart, 
 What fool has said: "There is no king but thou?" 
 For thee the multitude waged war and won— 
 The end thou art of wrestlings and of prayer, 
 Of sleepless watch, long marches, hunger, tears 
 And blood prolifically spilled, homes lordless, 
 And homeless lords! The mass must always suffer 
 That one should reign! the collar's but newly clamp'd, 
 And nothing but the name thereon is changed— 
 Master? still masters! mark you not the red 
 Of shame unutterable in my sightless white? 
 Still hear me, Cromwell, speaking for your sake! 
 These fifteen years, we, to you whole-devoted, 
 Have sought for Liberty—to give it thee? 
 To make our interests your huckster gains? 
 The king a lion slain that you may flay, 
 And wear the robe—well, worthily—I say't, 
 For I will not abase my brother! 
 No! I would keep him in the realm serene, 
 My own ideal of heroes! loved o'er Israel, 
 And higher placed by me than all the others! 
 And such, for tinkling titles, hollow haloes 
 Like that around yon painted brow—thou! thou! 
 Apostle, hero, saint-dishonor thyself! 
 And snip and trim the flag of Naseby-field 
 As scarf on which the maid-of-honor's dog 
 Will yelp, some summer afternoon! That sword 
 Shrink into a sceptre! brilliant bauble! Thou, 
 Thrown on a lonely rock in storm of state, 
 Brain-turned by safety's miracle, thou risest 
 Upon the tott'ring stone whilst ocean ebbs, 
 And, reeking of no storms to come to-morrow, 
 Or to-morrow—deem that a certain pedestal 
 Whereon thou'lt be adored for e'er—e'en while 
 It shakes—o'ersets the rider! Tremble, thou! 
 For he who dazzles, makes men Samson-blind, 
 Will see the pillars of his palace kiss 
 E'en at the whelming ruin! Then, what word 
 Of answer from your wreck when I demand 
 Account of Cromwell! glory of the people 
 Smothered in ashes! through the dust thou'lt hear; 
 "What didst thou with thy virtue?" Will it respond: 
 "When battered helm is doffed, how soft is purple 
 On which to lay the head, lulled by the praise 
 Of thousand fluttering fans of flatterers! 
 Wearied of war-horse, gratefully one glides 
 In gilded barge, or in crowned, velvet car, 
 From gay Whitehall to gloomy Temple Bar—" 
 (Where—had you slipt, that head were bleaching now! 
 And that same rabble, splitting for a hedge, 
 Had joined their rows to cheer the active headsman; 
 Perchance, in mockery, they'd gird the skull 
 With a hop-leaf crown! Bitter the brewing, Noll!) 
 Are crowns the end-all of ambition? Remember 
 Charles Stuart! and that they who make can break! 
 This same Whitehall may black its front with crape, 
 And this broad window be the portal twice 
 To lead upon a scaffold! Frown! or laugh! 
 Laugh on as they did at Cassandra's speech! 
 But mark—the prophetess was right! Still laugh, 
 Like the credulous Ethiop in his faith in stars! 
 But give one thought to Stuart, two for yourself! 
 In his appointed hour, all was forthcoming— 
 Judge, axe, and deathsman veiled! and my poor eyes 
 Descry—as would thou saw'st!—a figure veiled, 
 Uplooming there—afar, like sunrise, coming! 
 With blade that ne'er spared Judas 'midst free brethren! 
 Stretch not the hand of Cromwell for the prize 
 Meant not for him, nor his! Thou growest old, 
 The people are ever young! Like her i' the chase 
 Who drave a dart into her lover, embowered, 
 Piercing the incense-clouds, the popular shaft 
 May slay thee in a random shot at Tyranny! 
 Man, friend, remain a Cromwell! in thy name, 
 Rule! and if thy son be worthy, he and his, 
 So rule the rest for ages! be it grander thus 
 To be a Cromwell than a Carolus. 
 No lapdog combed by wantons, but the watch 
 Upon the freedom that we won! Dismiss 
 Your flatterers—let no harpings, no gay songs 
 Prevent your calm dictation of good laws 
 To guard, to fortify, and keep enlinked 
 England and Freedom! Be thine old self alone! 
 And make, above all else accorded me, 
 My most desired claim on all posterity, 
 That thou in Milton's verse wert foremost of the free! 


 




Written by Friedrich von Schiller | Create an image from this poem

A Funeral Fantasie

 Pale, at its ghastly noon,
Pauses above the death-still wood--the moon;
The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs;
The clouds descend in rain;
Mourning, the wan stars wane,
Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres!
Haggard as spectres--vision-like and dumb,
Dark with the pomp of death, and moving slow,
Towards that sad lair the pale procession come
Where the grave closes on the night below.

With dim, deep-sunken eye,
Crutched on his staff, who trembles tottering by?
As wrung from out the shattered heart, one groan
Breaks the deep hush alone!
Crushed by the iron fate, he seems to gather
All life's last strength to stagger to the bier,
And hearken--Do these cold lips murmur "Father?"
The sharp rain, drizzling through that place of fear,
Pierces the bones gnawed fleshless by despair,
And the heart's horror stirs the silver hair.

Fresh bleed the fiery wounds
Through all that agonizing heart undone--
Still on the voiceless lips "my Father" sounds,
And still the childless Father murmurs "Son!"
Ice-cold--ice-cold, in that white shroud he lies--
Thy sweet and golden dreams all vanished there--
The sweet and golden name of "Father" dies
Into thy curse,--ice-cold--ice-cold--he lies!
Dead, what thy life's delight and Eden were!

Mild, as when, fresh from the arms of Aurora,
While the air like Elysium is smiling above,
Steeped in rose-breathing odors, the darling of Flora
Wantons over the blooms on his winglets of love.
So gay, o'er the meads, went his footsteps in bliss,
The silver wave mirrored the smile of his face;
Delight, like a flame, kindled up at his kiss,
And the heart of the maid was the prey of his chase.

Boldly he sprang to the strife of the world,
As a deer to the mountain-top carelessly springs;
As an eagle whose plumes to the sun are unfurled,
Swept his hope round the heaven on its limitless wings.
Proud as a war-horse that chafes at the rein,
That, kingly, exults in the storm of the brave;
That throws to the wind the wild stream of its mane,
Strode he forth by the prince and the slave!

Life like a spring day, serene and divine,
In the star of the morning went by as a trance;
His murmurs he drowned in the gold of the wine,
And his sorrows were borne on the wave of the dance.

Worlds lay concealed in the hopes of his youth!--
When once he shall ripen to manhood and fame!
Fond father exult!--In the germs of his youth
What harvests are destined for manhood and fame!

Not to be was that manhood!--The death-bell is knelling,
The hinge of the death-vault creaks harsh on the ears--
How dismal, O Death, is the place of thy dwelling!
Not to be was that manhood!--Flow on, bitter tears!
Go, beloved, thy path to the sun,
Rise, world upon world, with the perfect to rest;
Go--quaff the delight which thy spirit has won,
And escape from our grief in the Halls of the Blest.

Again (in that thought what a healing is found!)
To meet in the Eden to which thou art fled!--
Hark, the coffin sinks down with a dull, sullen sound,
And the ropes rattle over the sleep of the dead.
And we cling to each other!--O Grave, he is thine!
The eye tells the woe that is mute to the ears--
And we dare to resent what we grudge to resign,
Till the heart's sinful murmur is choked in its tears.
Pale at its ghastly noon,
Pauses above the death-still wood--the moon!
The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs:
The clouds descend in rain;
Mourning, the wan stars wane,
Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres.
The dull clods swell into the sullen mound;
Earth, one look yet upon the prey we gave!
The grave locks up the treasure it has found;
Higher and higher swells the sullen mound--
Never gives back the grave!
Written by Omar Khayyam | Create an image from this poem

The day when the celestial war-horse of the golden

The day when the celestial war-horse of the golden
stars was saddled, when the planet Jupiter and the
Pleiades were created, from that day the Divan [Chief
Justice] of destiny fixed our lot. In what respect, then,
are we guilty, since such is the part that was made
for us?

Book: Reflection on the Important Things